Thursday, 5 February 2015

Shortly after I arrived in a Wales, at the end of January,
so did the snow.

Lesser Redpoll

We had quite a bit during the day and evening, and by
morning, there was no way I could leave the cottage by car.

The quarter mile track down to the lane, was covered in
snow. It had drifted and was about two and a half feet deep.

That also meant no-one could get here. Post and deliveries
etc.

Thankfully we had plenty of supplies.

Also the phone and internet doesn't perform at its best, but I can live with that.

The only way to explore, was by foot.

The snow has slowly melted now, although the fields still
have areas of hard crunchy snow; and the track is now negotiable with extreme
care. The downhill part in particular, especially as the snow has frozen and
turned to ice.

Saturday, 3 January 2015

According to the experts; the people who know such things,
this is not a bird of concern.

With a diet consisting of invertebrates in the summer, along
with mostly seeds, they have the widest diet of the finches. No surprise they
are doing well then, with an estimated population of 5.8 million in Britain and
up to 30 million during the winter, with the arrival of continental birds.

They live just about anywhere; woodlands, (deciduous, mixed
and conifer), parklands, gardens and hedgerows. No wonder they do so well, with
such adaptability.

The males are a combination of colours ......... a reddish
pink breast, bluish crown and nape, a brown back, grey-green rump, and white
wing bars.

So common, so colourful, and yet frequently overlooked by
many so called 'birdwatchers'.

If the bird was 'rare', then everyone would be
clamouring for a glimpse.

About Me

Had a love of birds since I was kid, and always admired the pictures in books and magazines. Photography took my interest when I was about 20 ish, and consisted of mainly 'snaps' for my own enjoyment.
I got older, digital came along, and for the first time I was able to combine two of my loves; birds and photography.
Still for my own enjoyment, but if others 'enjoy' them too, then that's a bonus.
And the e-mail, if anyone wants it
hairyk AT gmail.com
change the AT to @ without spaces